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  “I was trying to be strong and not bother You while you were gone,” she said.

  He hadn’t taken it that way. He’d taken it as silence because she was upset at him.

  Dumb damn Dom.

  “Why didn’t you just ask me to come over tonight, pet?”

  “Because you sounded like you wanted to go to the club. I didn’t want to stop you from going because that’s what you said you wanted to do and I knew I couldn’t go the way I am right now.”

  He successfully choked back that aggravated sigh. “You do realize most of these triggers happen when you try to take matters into your own hands and be Toppy instead of just leaning on me and telling me what’s going on so I can help you through it, right?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  He stroked her hair. “Okay, new rule, pet. This is our default mode from now on. No flipping into toppy Ma’am mode unless you’ve asked permission first. No more trying to deal with things alone because you think it’s best. You bring everything to me from now on and let me be the judge of how we handle it. Understand?”

  Her tension melted away, her body relaxing in his lap. “Yes, Sir,” she whispered.

  Reaching up to her neck, he hooked a finger through her chain collar, the tag warm against his palm. The links clicked together as he gently tugged on it. “This is there for a reason,” he said. “I’m always with you, even when I’m not. Don’t ever forget that. Just like you’re always with me, the key on my keyring. It’s always with me, always in my pocket or right there in front of me when I’m driving.”

  She nodded.

  He leaned in and kissed her. “Now how about I get more comfortable and we’ll snuggle and play a little and then watch some TV?”

  She nodded.

  It was several hours later before he said good night and headed out to his car. Yes, he still felt somewhat guilty, but it had, at least, been productive. They clicked together so well most of the time that when they hit a wall, it was usually a spectacular collision, and not of the good kind.

  But now he knew her just a little better than he had. They’d made progress. She’d worked her way through another emotional situation, and now had a different coping skill to use.

  They didn’t repeat too many of the same mistakes twice.

  As he loaded his implement bag and climbed behind the wheel, he found her key on his ring. Hard to miss, being right next to the ignition key for his car.

  Yep, it would always stay right there. Right where he would know it was safe, even if not in his direct line of sight at the time. Much like her in his life.

  * * * *

  She waited until his taillights disappeared down the street to shut off the outside light. The front door was locked, and now she’d have to go slip into bed.

  It felt like a boulder had been shoved off her shoulders. One way, one place in her life where she could fully let go and not have to be the decision maker, the one who called the shots. The one responsible for everything.

  Where she could give up control and just…be.

  She slid into bed and her husband awoke just enough to roll over and drape an arm around her waist. “Better?” he mumbled.

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. No offense, you’ve been a royal bitch. I’m glad he’s back in town.” Almost immediately, he fell asleep again.

  No, she got it. When she bottled up the bad stuff inside her, it had to spill over somehow.

  If she could let it spill over with Sir, that was always the best. Her husband had learned to hunker down and try to stay out of her way until she could get it out of her system, usually with a good beating.

  Unfortunately, life had gotten in the way.

  And she had been a royal bitch.

  As she closed her eyes, she reached up and felt her tag. Peace settled over her.

  Thank You, Sir.

  THE END

  WWW.TYMBERDALTON.COM

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Tymber Dalton lives in the Tampa Bay region of Florida with her husband (aka “The World’s Best Husband™”) and too many pets. Active in the BDSM lifestyle, the two-time EPIC winner is also the bestselling author of over seventy-five books, including The Reluctant Dom, The Denim Dom, Cardinal’s Rule, the Suncoast Society series, the Love Slave for Two series, the Triple Trouble series, the Coffeeshop Coven series, the Good Will Ghost Hunting series, the Drunk Monkeys series, and many more.

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